Tony Stewart (14) passes Austin Dillion (3) to take the lead during the running of the Indy Karting Classic at Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Sunday December, 11, 2011. Greg Griffo / The Star

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Rick Mears probably isn't the one Tony Stewart wants to talk to about racing other types of cars in the prime of a driving career.

Mears, who retired in 1992 and now advises teams and drivers, not only resisted that urge, he passed on several activities that put his body in the crosshairs of injury.

"I suppose I could have done a lot of things, buy why would I want to do that and jeopardize my chance to do this?" he said recently while trackside at Indianapolis Motor Speedway, where he won a record-tying four Indianapolis 500s. ...